I love to read, and I'm in the middle of about a half dozen books. So, I'll definitely reach my goal if I read a little from each book every day. One of my goals before I turn 30 is to read books about higher education because I'm pretty settled in staying in this field for a while.
A while back, I picked up College Unbound: The Future of Higher Education and What it Means for Students by Jeffrey Selingo from the library and read it pretty quickly. It's been a little while, but the book describes how the value of an American college education has come into question in recent years, especially with high unemployment rates and no guarantee that a college degree will result in profitable career.
I would probably purchase this book and keep it for a while because it was a pretty fascinating read about how college has become more of business in recent years. The author points out that more money is spent on improving the services of the campus instead of the actual education. Colleges spend more on renovating residence halls than on hiring quality professors. The reason is because students are treated more like consumers. Residence halls, dining halls, and recreation centers are big selling points for students, who are more concerned about the amenities than education. The author even describes a school that boasts a movie theatre on campus and ice cream trucks that pass out free frozen treats to the campus. Not totally free of course--student fees cover that.
I appreciate that this book is written in a non-academic style. It includes tons of data, but it's an easy read compared to real researchy books. It also includes a guide of things students should consider when making selections about college. I don't agree with everything, but some of it is practical.
Anyway, I would strongly recommend the book to anyone in higher ed. It's a good read, a little disheartening at times, but a great look at the current state of college education in America.
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